THE MINI FACTORY in Cowley, near Oxford, has a long and storied history. Last year, my five-door Mini Cooper Sport rolled off the production line there, but cars have been built on the site for almost a century, wearing Mini, Austin, Morris, Triumph and even Honda badges. Rover badges, too. In fact, the silver 800 pictured above emerged from the same facility 24 years before my Mini. It once belonged to my grandfather, and I now cherish it myself.
The Rover is here because the more I drive the Mini, the more I think about my Rover. That’s not because the two are in any way similar – they really aren’t – but because of how I connected with the Mini. It got beneath my skin in a way that few cars manage to.
I initially chose the Mini because I fondly remembered the fun I’d had in previous versions, and it didn’t take long for it to live up to those memories. For at least part of every trip I made in it, the Mini had me grinning. Indeed, while it doesn’t corner with quite the enthusiasm of the Seat Ibiza I ran previously, it has a more easygoing feel that brought me joy even when I wasn’t pushing it hard.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 2022 من What Car? UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 2022 من What Car? UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Lexus RZ 450e+ Takumi Bi-tone
Greater stamina and a lower price would have enhanced our opinion of this upmarket electric SUV
Audi A6 Avant 45 TFSI quattro Sport
Our new posh estate has to deal with a mega-miles commute and an older sibling. How will it get on?
Renault Clio 1.0 TCe 90 Evolution
It's our reigning Small Car of the Year, but will the latest Clio continue to impress in daily use? We're finding out
ALL POSHED UP
Looking to buy an upmarket SUV? For around £35,000, you could have a new Lexus LBX or a used BMW X1. Let's see where your money should go
JOINING UP THE TOTS
Small, cheap cars bring numerous benefits, especially if most of your driving is around town. We take three leading examples on a road trip to see which of them paints the most complete picture
GRIPPING STUFF
Tyre choice can make a huge difference to how your car behaves in changeable weather. We search for the best
Audi A6 e-tron
BMW i5 rival uses the same tech as the Q6 e-tron SUV for serious pace and range On sale Late 2024 Price from £62,000 (est)
Renault Symbioz
Slightly smaller than Renault's existing Austral, this new hybrid family SUV has its sights set firmly on the popular Nissan Qashqai On sale Now Price from £29,295
Volkswagen Golf
Family car celebrates its 50th birthday with an update, including much-improved infotainment On sale Now Price from £27,035
Hyundai Tucson
Update for Hyundai's family SUV includes a redesigned interior and a revised engine line-up On sale Now Price from £32,000